1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in a device of a camera and the like for photographing or magnetically recording data, such as a message, onto a film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some known cameras are provided with a data photographing device that imprints photographic data such as the date and time of photographing and exposure conditions onto an image recording medium such as a film. Some data photographing devices are a data back which is an accessory having photographing means built in a member corresponding to a rear cover of a camera, and other data photographing devices, built in the body of a camera, are a dating mechanism for photographic data.
In some devices, a memory is used to store characters, pictographic symbols, and other information representing photographing environments, including photographing typical message such as "A Happy New Year!", "Congratulations on Your Birthday!", "Merry Christmas!" (these messages are hereinafter referred to as "caption"). A photographer rotates through a plurality of pieces of information stored in the memory to select desired data, and imprints the data on a film using LEDs. Some known cameras use a film having a recording section for recording photographic information thereon, and magnetically records the photographic information on the recording section of the film.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-130486 discloses a device which modifies the order of the arrangement of a plurality of pieces of information stored in the memory, according to the frequency of the use of each piece of information.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-224290 discloses a camera which includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and records, on the recording section of a film, position information acquired through the GPS receiver and corresponding place name in accordance with an image being photographed. The GPS receiver is a positioning system that receives data transmitted from a plurality of satellites and fixes its position based on the received data.
In the above conventional cameras, however, the user must rotate through a plurality of pieces of information and select and set the desired information, using information selection means each time the user wants photographic information to be photographed. Setting the photographic data takes time and a photo opportunity may be missed.
When the number of information items stored are large in the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-130486, which modifies the order of the arrangement of the information, the photographer needs more time to select desired information and may miss a photo opportunity. The same is true of other cameras that arrange information in the order of the frequency of use, regardless of the type of photographing information such as date and site of photographing.
If a camera that imprints place names stored in a memory, according to the site of photographing, is further provided with a function of arranging information according to the order of the frequency of use, the photographer will need more time to set the information and may miss a photo opportunity.